Accurate and approximate thermal rate constants for polyatomic chemical reactions

In favourable cases it is possible to calculate thermal rate constants for polyatomic reactions to high accuracy from first principles. Here, we discuss the use of flux correlation functions combined with the multi-configurational time-dependent Hartree (MCTDH) approach to efficiently calculate cumulative reaction probabilities and thermal rate constants for polyatomic chemical reactions. Three isotopic variants of the H2 + CH3 → CH4 + H reaction are used to illustrate the theory. There is good agreement with experimental results although the experimental rates generally are larger than the calculated ones, which are believed to be at least as accurate as the experimental rates. Approximations allowing evaluation of the thermal rate constant above 400 K are treated. It is also noted that for the treated reactions, transition state theory (TST) gives accurate rate constants above 500 K. TST theory also gives accurate results for kinetic isotope effects in cases where the mass of the transfered atom is unchanged. Due to neglect of tunnelling, TST however fails below 400 K if the mass of the transferred atom changes between the isotopic reactions